I sat with my face in my hands, listening to Rick cry. The sound of his hurt only caused my tears to fall harder. I looked up at Carl, face nearly blank, and yet full of sorrow. We all knew what he had do have done. I look at Maggie, cradling the small newborn in her arms. Maggie, covered in blood looks back at me, lip quivering, eyes full of tears.

Everyone is speechless.

We took on many a loss today. T-Dog, Carol, and now Lori.

I look back to Rick laying on the ground, wailing. Carl and the others head inside; time to clean the baby, time to forget our losses, time to go on living - the way we've always done. I get up and walk over to him.

"Rick-" I lightly say. He doesn't answer, and instead continues to lay in the same position, calling for his wife.

Tears fall once more as I sit beside my best friend's husband, my silent cries matching his loud. Everything is quiet, even the walkers around the prison. Rain falls hard on the two of us, setting the gloomy mood in place.

"Just go over and talk to him if you like him so much!" Lori had pushed me along.

I stared at the figure in front of me. He was probably about 5'9, wearing dark jeans and a faded green tshirt. He was talking to his friend, laughing and smiling at something he had said. He had a gorgeous bright smile, and light blue eyes to match. Short dark hair and broad shoulders complimented him altogether. I didn't know his name, only that I had seen him around a few times, and it was always the same thing - he'd smile at me, and I'd smile back and blush.

"What if I look like crap?" I said.

My long brown hair was tied in a loose bun at the nape of my neck, I was wearing a short, flowing purple dress, and my light tan cowboy boots. I was short, just about 5'1, and had a tiny stature altogether. I had hazel eyes and apparently, the kind of 'perfect' lips you would only read about in a book, or hear about in a song. Alright, I was cute. My dress, my hair, my face - boom - I was looking good. Great, really. But I just couldn't bring myself to go talk to him. What if he didn't like me?

I voiced my though aloud. "What if he doesn't like me?"

"What's not to like?" Lori asked, raising her eyebrow.

She was pretty, her long brown hair almost mirroring my own, she just had more curl to hers. She usually left hers down, as she proved tonight. Dressed in a blue sundress a little longer than mine, and wearing a pair of black sneakers, she looked pretty. She went light on the makeup, as we usually both did - eyeliner and mascara, enough to make our brown eyes pop, and light blush across our cheeks. Lori chose a pink shade tonight, and although she did almost appear childish in a sense, she was gorgeous.

I shrugged my shoulders. She mocked me and laughed. "Get going, Gwen." She gave me a push, sending me sprawling across the shag rug laying on the floor. I landed on my face, and turned to glare at her, when I saw she was gone. Probably off with Jeff somewhere, meeting the various dudes he always introduced her to, but she never took interest in.

"Are you alright?"

Turning around I see Mr Baby Blues crouching beside me, hand extended to help me up. I can feel my face becoming flushed as he smiles at me. Lori was dead when we got back to her place. Thanks for the embarrassment, bestie.

"Yeah, I'm fine - tripped was all." I muttered. Surprisingly, over the roar of the music, he'd heard me.

"I can see that." He pulled me up and smiled.

"I've seen you around before, haven't I?"

I nodded. "And you never say hello!" I say playfully, starting to feel relaxed with him.

He smirks. "Neither do you - what's your name?"

"Gwen."

"You gon' introduce us?" His friend asks from behind me.

"Gwen - this is Shane. Shane - Gwen."

Shane is a little taller than Rick, a bit more tan too. At least I think, it's dark, so it's kind of difficult to tell. This guy's in a black tshirt and light wash jeans. He's cute, but in a harder way. He extends his arm, "Nice to meet you, baby."

"Likewise." I smile. Not my type, but nice.

The three of us break into a conversation; the two are enrolling to be on the local police force, and I'm almost done school - have a potential reporter job lined up in the fall. The whole time Rick stares at me and smiles. I decide I like him a lot and I think maybe the feeling is mutual. Something behind me catches his eye though, and he mutters a quick apology before leaving Shane and I alone.

"So what made you want to be a cop?"

"I wanna help people, you know? I know I have a badass exterior, but I'm a big ol' softie, girl." He winks at me and I laugh. He is a really nice guy.

Rick soon returns, Jeff and Lori at his side. It takes a second for me to register exactly what's going on. Oh no.

"This is my brother Jeff, and Lori, his friend." He says motioning to my best friend.

"Lori and I are best friends." I say looking at Lori.

"Oh! I know you, Gwen!" Jeff says matter-of-factly.

Jeff soon leaves Lori, Rick, Shane and I behind, and we converse like we'd known each other forever. I excused myself to get up to go to the bathroom, and Lori follows me, reminding the boys to stay put.

"Rick is great!" She squeals when we enter the bathroom. I nod, seeing she is smitten with him.

"And I told you! I knew he'd love you! He can't keep his eyes off of you." My heart begins to beat faster, thinking she's talking about Rick. "Shane's a really nice guy too - you guys have to go out!"

She thinks I'm into Shane. I think, heart sinking. She continues to go on and on about Rick - the way I would if she hadn't met him. Of all the guys Jeff introduced her too, why was this the one she wanted? Who am I kidding, she'd be crazy if she hadn't!

We're about to walk out of the bathroom when I think she should know it was Rick I liked. "Lori-"

"Yeah?" She looked at me, eyes full of excitement, and smiled.

"Nothing." I smile back. She can have this one. It is just one guy.

We walk out and join the boys once more. Maybe I can forget Rick, and maybe Shane can help. I take a spot next to Shane on the couch and listen to him talk. But my heart sinks when I see Rick put his arm around Lori's shoulders.

Their dates turn into a relationship. A relationship turns into marriage. Marriage into baby Carl.

Rick, Lori, Shane and I all continue to be friends through it all. But friendships may bud something else - love.

I was in love with my best friend's husband, through it all.